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We found the Francis Marion to be a great hotel. The staff was friendly and helpful. They could not have done more to make our stay pleasurable. I read some of the reviews and almost did not book the hotel. We are glad that we did. The room was comfortable. The rooms could use some updating but the overall experience was great. Super location too!

Stayed: June 2006

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Ask Rindyross about Francis Marion Hotel

1 Thank Rindyross

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

My wife and I stayed at the hotel in June 2006. The hotel overcharged us by $180.00 (an accounting error). Upon contact with the Hotels General Manager, he IMMEDIATELY remedied the situation, refunded the $180.00 and issued an additional substantial credit to our credit card for ANY inconvenience we experienced. The overcharge was an honest Accounting Error.

The hotel has a significant charm, ambience and the staff is friendly and courteous. Located in Charleston’s Historic district it provides easy access to the market area, restaurants and downtown restaurants.

My wife and I WILL stay at this hotel in the future! You should too!

Stayed: June 2006

Ask a question about Francis Marion Hotel

3 Thank A TripAdvisor Member

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

The service at this hotel went above and beyond. I left my laptop charger under the work desk in my room, and I called the hotel the day after I left. Housekeeping called me back within a couple of hours and took down my information. A couple of hours later, I spoke with a manager who told me that it was already out via fed ex, and I had it by the very next morning at 7am. They handled it with such grace and speed...I was really impressed.

As for the rest of the hotel, it is above average, but nothing incredible. It's historic, but not incredibly charming. ALL of the staff, however, are full of charm. The front desk check-in staff person was incredibly helpful in selecting a good room and recommending where to park.

My room was pretty large with a king bed and a sofa, chair, and coffee table. The view was pretty nice of a large steeple and the surrounding neighborhood. I suspect that the best views are to the South and East. I faced North and was in room 1021. The bathroom was not small, as some reviews had indicated. It was pretty large actually, and was adequate. Nothing special about the bathroom at all, but it was clean and did the trick.

Room service was friendly, prompt, and great quality, all while being very reasonably priced. The elevator service, as some have written about in their reviews, was very slow. It's an older hotel and the elevators certainly act their age. Not a big issue for me.

There are likely much nicer hotels in Charleston, but this is a great choice if you're looking for a decent room in a great location with fantastic service. I really was impressed by the service here.

Almost forgot...skip the spa. It's a tiny set of rooms in the basement and the massage I received was well below average. On the plus side, the rates are cheap. Still, save your money here.

Stayed: June 2006

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Ask FLtraveller76 about Francis Marion Hotel

8 Thank FLtraveller76

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

This hotel was seriously overpriced contrasted with the level of service and the amenities. The staff was less than cordial and the rooms were not very clean. The concierge knew did not know any information other than what I could read in a travel brochure. There was no information in the room about the hotel. That is probably understanble given the fact that there was no pool nor suitable exercise facilities.

Stayed: June 2006

Ask a question about Francis Marion Hotel

2 Thank A TripAdvisor Member

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

We stayed here for 8 long, miserable days. We would have gladly checked out after the first night, but upon check-in we had to initial a statement that read "After check-in, any individual departing prior to their scheduled departure date will be charged an early departure fee of 50% of the room rate plus tax." Which we were told was the ENTIRE length of the stay. Had we known what we were getting into, we'd have left right then, but we didn't so we were stuck. Our room had a view of a brick wall. Not a deal killer, but not enticing. The room was furnished in extremely shabby, beat-up, old--not antique, just old--furniture that was cheap when it was new. The wallpaper was peeling off the walls. The towel rack and one tiny shelf in the bathroom were pulled out of the wall on one side. The bathtub had evidently been refinished with some plastic-type material at one time--which also was peeling and flaking off. The carpeting was dirty enough to make going barefoot not a good idea. The room was so dingy, dark and depressing, that any time spent there was miserable. Occasionally we got replacement styrofoam cups for water and coffee, but real glasses or cups--forget about it. But the real kicker--we were there for 8 nights and they didn't change our bedding, even after I asked twice. I'm all for conservation, and I don't need the bedding changed daily--but come on--for these prices, you kind of expect some sort of service. (The staff was not friendly--except for the bellmen and the concierge.) The instructions on the phones are outdated, so retrieving messages was tricky. The elevators were slow--but not unexpected in an old hotel--however, the up and down indicator lights were burned out on 2 of the 3 elevators, so you just had to take your chances on which direction you'd be going when you stepped on. Parking is an additional $12/day--and they don't take credit cards or checks for that. You must pay in cash when you take your car out of the lot. (Valet parking costs $15/day.) And, for those of you who pay by debit card, they immediately take out one day's stay plus an additional $30--I don't know why, but there's a sign on the front desk stating this. I'm not particularly hard to please, and I've traveled quite a bit--including Europe where most rooms are very small and lack amenities. What really counts is good service, clean rooms, and someplace in the hotel where one can sit outside or in comfortable common areas. This hotel has to be the only one in historic Charleston that doesn't have a courtyard. Honestly, staying here really lessened our enjoyment of our trip. Do yourself a favor--there's many, much nicer places to stay within 1 block of here. Do that instead.

Stayed: May 2006

Ask SandyOma about Francis Marion Hotel

10 Thank SandyOma

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

I stayed at the Francis Marion while on business... It is a Grand Old Hotel that has been modernized to keep pace with the times... Unfortunately, it falls a little short. The room was spacious and clean, but the furniture was a bit tired... except for the bed which was in excellent condition with plenty of comfortable pillows. The bathroom was in need of a facelift. The excercise room had only limited equipment and it was VERY tired and in need repairs/replacement. Staff was very courteous... but still forgot to program a wake-up call for me. If you stay, bring your cell phone, local calls are $1.00 for each 10 minutes!...

Stayed: May 2006, traveled on business

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Ask TravelinDudeAtlanta about Francis Marion Hotel

1 Thank TravelinDudeAtlanta

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

I made advanced reservation for a deluxe room with a city view. I got a tiny room with a view of the parking deck. The bath was covered with mold and mildew. There were roaches in the room. The staff was rude and unhelpful. The parking miserable. I would never stay at this dump again.

Stayed: October 2005

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Ask land traveler about Francis Marion Hotel

3 Thank land traveler

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Experience unsurpassed views of the historic harbor at the Francis Marion Hotel, the only high-rise hotel in Charleston’s historic district. All 234 guest rooms including 10 Suites and 7 Penthouse Suites are tastefully furnished for today’s sophisticated traveler, and provide modern conveniences from wireless Internet access, voicemail and data ports to on-demand movies....more less

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Also Known As:

Francis Marion Charleston

Hotel Francis Marion

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